Field-sport game

ABSTRACT

A field-sport game modifies various aspects of rugby so as to be more appealing to the American audience. The playing field is substantially reduced in size, altering the strategy and play of the game. Moreover, walls may be provided in place of sidelines so as to eliminate out of bound rules. Alternatively, walls may be provided at opposite ends of the field which define in-goal areas to be touched by a ball in order to score.

RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent applicationSer. No. 60/766,722, filed Feb. 8, 2006.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to a field-sport game which is amodified version of rugby that can be played in indoor arenas.

The sport of rugby has its origins dating back to the nineteenthcentury. In the 1800s, formalities were introduced to football (soccer)rules in seven major public schools of England. Six of the seven schoolswere largely playing the same game. However, the seventh school, RugbySchool, was playing a markedly different version of this game. The otherschools moved ahead refining their rules and eventually their gamebecame known as “association football” or soccer. The Rugby School'sgame developed differently and evolved over time into what is now knownas rugby.

Although rugby is played in well over one hundred different countries,the major rugby playing countries where it is fairly popular primarilyinclude only Great Britain, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, andvarious South Pacific islands, including Western Samoa and Tonga. Therules can vary somewhat between the various countries, for example,there are certain rules and procedures, referred to as laws, recognizedin Australia (Rugby League) that are somewhat different in Great Britain(Rugby Union). Rugby League is a break-away from Rugby Union, and thusit has slightly modified certain Rugby Union laws. For example, in RugbyUnion there are two teams of fifteen players each, whereas in RugbyLeague there are two teams of thirteen players each. However, many ofthe laws and principles of the game are in common, and for purposes ofthis application the general term rugby will be used, referring to theRugby Union laws.

Rugby is played on a field, called the pitch, with a length generallydouble the width. The maximum playing area is 158 yards by 77 yards on agrassy flat surface. Rugby is often played on soccer fields, which mustbe between 100 and 131 yards in length and 50 to 100 yards wide. Thefield, or pitch, includes end lines or goal lines at the leading edge ofan in-goal area which may be between 10 and 20 yards in depth. Goals,“H-shape” cross bars, are located on each goal line, and are typicallythe same size as American football goal posts.

A typical adult-level Rugby Union match lasts for 80 minutes (two halvesof 40 minutes each). An abbreviated game of rugby, called Sevens,consists of only 7 players playing on a full-sized field, with each halfbeing only 7 minutes long. Scoring occurs with much greater regularityin Sevens, since the defenders are more spaced out than in Rugby Union.

Although rugby has a substantial following in many countries throughoutthe world, in the United States it is not widely followed. However, itis believed by the inventor that a modified form of rugby which can beplayed in indoor arenas and televised would gain a much greaterfollowing in the United States.

Accordingly, there is a continuing need for a modified rugby game whichcan be played on smaller fields and in indoor arenas, and which wouldappeal more broadly to the American audience. The present inventionfulfills these needs and provides other related advantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention resides in a field-sport game, and a method ofplaying the same, which includes variations to traditional rugby. Thefield-sport game of the present invention can be played on smallerfields, and is particularly adapted for play in enclosed arenas, such asthose housing basketball and hockey games and the like.

The field-sport game of the present invention comprises a field having afirst in-goal area defined in part by a first end line, and an opposingsecond in-goal area defined in part by a second end line. Preferably,the field includes line markers. First and second walls extend betweenthe first and second in-goal areas, such that the walls run generallyparallel to one another. Although the walls may extend only from endline to end line, more typically the first and second walls are providedaround the entire perimeter of the field. The field is generally 60yards in length from the first end line to the second end line, andgenerally 40 yards in width from the first wall to the second wall.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the provision of the wallseliminates out of bounds lines on a traditional rugby field. A firstgoal is associated with the first in-goal area. A second goal is inassociation with the second in-goal area. The first and second goalseach include parallel vertical bars having a cross bar extendingtherebetween. Typically, the first goal extends upwardly from the firstend line, and the second goal extends upwardly from the second end line,although the first and second goals can be associated with the walls, orplaced between the wall and the end line.

A first team of players has as an objective to move the ball in theirpossession into and touching the field within the first in-goal areaand/or drop-kicking the ball through the first goal to score pointsgenerally in accordance with the laws of rugby football. The ball ispreferably a rugby football, that is, a ball having a general shape of aprolate spheroid. The first team taking possession of the ball advancesthe ball within the field of play towards the first in-goal area toscore by running with the ball and lateraling or passing the ballbackwards to teammates.

A second team of players has as an objective to prevent the first teamof players having possession of the ball from moving the ball into andtouching the field within the first in-goal area and/or drop-kicking theball through the first goal and scoring. The second team prevents thefirst team from scoring by tackling a player of the first team inpossession of the ball and/or attempting to obtain possession of theball from the first team so as to advance the ball towards the secondin-goal area to score generally in accordance with the laws of rugby.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the first and second team ofplayers each includes seven players, wherein the first and second teamsplay generally in accordance with the laws of Rugby Sevens other thanthe fact that there is no out of bounds due to the placement of thefirst and second walls surrounding the playing field.

In a second embodiment, the goals are associated with the first andsecond walls, typically disposed immediately adjacent thereto. The firstand second walls define first and second in-goal areas. The first andsecond teams advance the ball, or defend against the advancement of theball, towards the opposing first or second wall with an objective toscore by either drop-kicking the ball through the goal or touching theball against the first or second opposing wall. The field dimensions arepreferably the same as mentioned above, namely, generally 40 yardsbetween the first and second walls, and 60 yards between the first andsecond end lines. In this embodiment, the first and second end linesdefine out of bounds, which are governed by the laws of rugby, and moreparticularly the laws of Rugby Sevens.

In the second embodiment, given the short distance between the in-goalscoring areas, defined by the first and second walls, during kicking-offof the ball, such as to start play, the kicking team is penalized if theball is kicked over the opposing first or second wall. Typically, thepenalty is granting the non-kicking team possession of the ball at amid-field marker of the playing field.

In yet further embodiments of the invention, the playing field is notsurrounded by walls. Instead, when the length of the field from end lineto end line is sixty yards, there are sidelines spaced forty yards apartfrom one another, and the game is otherwise played in accordance withthe rules of Rugby Sevens with only minor changes, such as placement ofkick-off, to accommodate for the much smaller field. When traversing theforty-yard length of the field, the width of the field being sixtyyards, the walls are replaced by end lines which define the entrance tothe in-goal area.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following more detailed description, taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way ofexample, the principles of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention. In such drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a playing field arrangement, inaccordance with a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a playing field arrangement used inaccordance with a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a top elevational and diagrammatic view of the playing fieldarrangement of FIG. 1, illustrating preferred dimensions thereof;

FIG. 4 is a top elevational and diagrammatic view of the playing fieldof FIG. 2, with preferred dimensions thereof;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a playing field arrangement, similar toFIG. 1, but incorporating sidelines instead of walls;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a playing field arrangement similar tothat illustrated in FIG. 2, but without the surrounding walls.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As shown in the accompanying drawings, for purposes of illustration, thepresent invention resides in a field-sport game, and method of playingthe game.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 3, a playing field 100 used in accordancewith the invention is illustrated. The playing field 102 itself istypically comprised of natural turf, or an artificial turf. Asillustrated in FIG. 3, the preferred dimensions of the field 100 is 40yards by 80 yards. This enables the field-sport game of the presentinvention to be played in many more locations than traditional rugby,which is typically played on an international soccer-sized field whichis typically 50 to 100 yards wide and 100 to 130 yards in length. Moreimportantly, the dimensions of the playing field 100 of the presentinvention enable the game to be played in indoor arenas which housebasketball games, hockey games and the like. This enables thefield-sport game of the present invention to be played in a large numberof arenas across the United States, even during inclement weather.Playing in an indoor arena also provides other advantages, such asalready provided stadium seating, with fans seated very close to theplaying field 100. Moreover, it is easier to provide television coverageof the game in such arenas. Although the field sport game of the presentinvention is particularly adapted for use in indoor arenas, it will beappreciated that the game is not limited to such, and instead can beplayed in outdoor environments as well. In such a case, the field mayinclude walls, or may be played without walls and slightly differentrules so as to accommodate the lack of walls, as will be more fullydescribed herein.

The turf field 102 itself is approximately 80 yards in length. First andsecond end lines 104 and 106 run generally parallel with one another andare spaced approximately 60 yards apart. The end lines 104 and 106define the leading edge of first and second in-goal areas 108 and 110.Preferably, the in-goal areas, which are similar to an American footballend zone, are approximately 10 yards in depth and 40 yards in width.

A first goal 112 is placed in association with the first in-goal area108, typically extending upwardly from the first end line 104. The firstgoal 112 includes vertical bars or posts 114 and 116 generally parallelwith one another, and a cross bar 118 extending therebetween. Such goalsor goal posts are similar to that provided in traditional rugby andAmerican football. A second goal 120 of similar configuration isassociated with the second in-goal area 110, typically extendingupwardly from the second end line 106. However, it will be appreciatedthat the first and second goals 112 and 120 can be placed at anyposition within the in-goal area 108 or 110. For example, it may bepreferable to place the first and second goals 112 and 120 at the rearend of the in-goal area 108 and 110, respectively, such that the goals112 and 120 are associated with the respective first or second wallextending along the back of the in-goal area. This could be done as asafety precaution for the players, as well as the perception of an openfield of play for better viewing and television production.

In traditional rugby, there are sidelines which run the length of theplaying field which define out of bounds. When a player runs out ofbounds, or is tackled out of bounds, there is a set procedure forresuming play. Moreover, in traditional rugby, it is not uncommon for ateam in possession of the ball to kick the ball forward and out ofbounds. Although this turns the ball over to the opposing team, itsignificantly advances the ball forward, and thus this is used as astrategy. However, the inventor believes that these out of bounds rulessignificantly slow down the game and are very foreign to the Americanaudience. Accordingly, first and second walls 122 and 124 run parallelto one another at opposite sides of the field. These walls 122 and 124extend at least between end lines 104 and 106, and more preferablyencircle the entire playing field 102 such that there are no out ofbounds. A player running into one of the walls 122 or 124 can continueto move forward, unless tackled. The tackle is treated as if the playerwere tackled in the playing field area, instead of out of bounds. Thewalls 122 and 124 may be padded to prevent injury to the players. It isbelieved that the provision of the walls 122 and 124, as well as thesmaller size of the field, will speed up the game and render it moreunderstandable and appealing to the American audience.

The field 102 itself typically has a plurality of line markings 126formed thereon for various purposes, including the placement of the ballin penalty situations, to assess the progress of an offensive team inpossession of the ball, for kick-offs, and the like.

With the exception of the no out of bounds rules and the smaller field,the field-sport game of the present invention is generally played inaccordance with the laws or rules of traditional rugby.

As indicated above, in Rugby Union, each team has fifteen players on thefield of play. Players numbered 1-8 are forwards, while players numbered9-15 are backs, whose main role is to exploit possession of the ballthat is won by the larger forwards. Given the relatively small size ofthe playing field 100 in the game of the present invention, the game ofthe present invention preferably has seven players for each team, and isplayed in accordance with the laws of Rugby Sevens, which is a variantof Rugby Union in which only seven players per side or team play,instead of the full fifteen. Rugby Sevens is sanctioned by theInternational Rugby Board (IRB), and is played under substantially thesame rules and with the traditional Rugby Sevens game is played on afield of the same dimensions as the fifteen-player game. While a normalRugby Union match lasts upwards of 80 minutes, a normal Rugby Sevensmatch lasts approximately 15 minutes (allowing for the one-minutehalftime break, injury time, etc.) The field-sport of the presentinvention could adopt the Rugby Sevens competition finals time period,lasting somewhat more than 20 minutes, each half in a competition finalbeing 10 minutes instead of the normal 7 minutes. The full laws whichapply to Rugby Sevens can be found at www.irb.com, the contents of whichare incorporated by reference herein, and the rules as they apply to thefield-sport game of the present invention will be described hereingenerally.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, a traditional rugby football isused. The ball is typically made of leather, or some other syntheticmaterial, that is easy to grip but does not have laces. Rugby balls aregenerally of a prolate spheroid shape, or in other words oval in shapeand rounder and less pointed than American footballs, to minimizeerratic bounces. Although a traditional rugby football, such as thatapproved by the International Rugby Board, is the preferred ball used inaccordance with the game of the present invention, it will beappreciated that other balls, such as a traditional American footballcould also be used.

The game of the present invention is started with a kick-off to theopponent from an assigned field marker line 126. While in traditionalrugby, this is done from mid-field, given the small size of the playingfield 100 of the present invention, this is typically done closer to theend line 104 or 106, such as the ten or twenty yard line. Any player ofeither team may gain possession of the ball, in accordance with therules of rugby. When running with the ball, players may continue to rununtil they are tackled, or run beyond the goal line, and touch the ballon the field turf 102 in the in-goal area 108 or 110, which results in ascore or a try. This typically results in a score of five points,although it will be appreciated that the name of such a score and thenumber of points granted for the score can be modified, such as beingcalled a touchdown worth six points so as to be more similar to Americanfootball. A conversion attempt may be made by retreating from thein-goal area 108 or 110 a predetermined distance directly behind thearea in which the score or try was made, and then drop-kicking the ballthrough the goal 112 or 120 for additional points. Typically, as inrugby, the successful after-try kick is worth two points, although itmay be modified, such as a single point similar to traditional Americanfootball.

While the team has possession of the ball and is advancing towards theiropposing in-goal area 108 or 110, the ball may be passed to any otherplayer, however, it may only be passed laterally or backward, neverforward. Moreover, any player may kick the ball forward at any time.Once the ball is kicked, players of either team, regardless of whetheror not the ball hits the ground, may gain possession. Often times, theball is kicked in an effort to advance it or obtain relief from poorfield position. There is no blocking in rugby, and any player may carry,pass or kick the ball. The ball carrier must release the ball whentackled and roll out of the way so that other players on their feet canplay the ball.

After the referee has whistled a minor law violation, a bound group ofplayers from each team form a tunnel with the opposition. Thenon-offending team puts the ball into the tunnel by rolling it into themiddle and each team pushes forward until one player is able to hook theball with the feet and push it to the back row of players on his or herteam. This is what is referred to as a scrum. Similar to Rugby Sevens,scrums consist of three players per team.

After a serious infringement of the law, or rules, offenders arerequired to retreat ten yards while the opposing team is given theopportunity to restart play unopposed. Players may kick the ball upfield to gain field advantage. If in range, the non-offending team mayattempt to kick at the goal post, worth three points. Other less seriousinfringements of the law result in free kicks, sending a player to theSin Bin for a specified period of time, banning the player from the gameknown as a Send-Off, etc. In the game of the present invention, playerssent to the Sin Bin or banning the player from the game may eitherresult in one team having fewer players than the opposing team, eitherfor the remainder of the game when the player is Sent Off, or for aperiod of time such as when a player is sent to the Sin Bin. It isalternatively contemplated that the team with the penalized player beable to substitute in a new player such that there are always sevenplayers on the field at any given time.

There is an off-side law in rugby, and in general play the ball createsthe off-side line and players are not permitted to participate in playif they are on the opposing team's side of the ball. One cannotparticipate in the game from an off-side position. At a scrum, theoff-side lines are drawn across the field through the feet of the lastperson in each team's scrum.

Players carrying the ball may be stopped by being tackled by theopposing team. Usually, players may only be tackled around the waist andlegs for safety purposes. The player must release the ball and roll awayfrom it to allow other players on their feet to play the ball.Supporting players from both teams converge over the ball on the ground,binding with each other in attempting to push the opposing playersbackwards in a manner similar to a scrum. This situation is known as aruck. The ball may not be picked up by any player until the ball emergesout of the ruck. A Maul is formed with a similar gathering of players,except the player in possession of the ball is not brought to the groundor tackled, but held up by an opponent as players converge on him. ARuck or Maul situation creates off-side line laws.

There are four ways for a team to score points in rugby. Five points areawarded to a team for touching the ball down in the other team's in-goalarea. This is called a Try. Following a Try, two points are awarded fora successful kick through the goal posts. Following a major lawviolation, the kicking team, if in range, has the option to “kick topoints”. Three points are awarded for a successful penalty kick. Thekick must be from the point of the foul or anywhere on a line straightbehind that point. The ball can be played if the kick fails. Threepoints are also awarded for a successful drop-kick, which can be takenfrom anywhere on the field at any time during the play. Once again, theball is live if the kick fails.

Typically, the game is started with a coin toss, to determine which teamwill kick the ball off. The team then lines up on a predetermined linemarker 126, such as the ten or twenty yard line, and kicks the ball offtowards the opposing team. Usually, the ball must at least travel apredetermined distance, unless first played by an opponent. Otherwise,it is kicked off again, or a scrum formed at the center at theopponent's option. If the ball is kicked directly into the in-goal areaor touch, the opposing team may accept the kick, have the ball kickedoff again, or have a scrum formed at the center line. In the game of thepresent invention, in the event that the ball is kicked over the wall atthe far end of the in-goal area, this can either be treated as the ballbeing kicked directly into the in-goal touch area, as described above,but more typically the ball is placed at a predetermined spot on thefield as a penalty, such as the mid-field marker line. The ball is thenadvanced towards the first or second in-goal area 108 or 110, asdescribed above. The opposing team plays defense, in accordance with therules of Rugby Seven to prevent the first team of players havingpossession of the ball from moving the ball into and touching thein-goal area 108 or 110 and/or drop-kicking the ball through the goal112 or 120. It is contemplated that a variation of this embodiment couldbe that the walls 122 and 124 could constitute the in-goal areathemselves, such that the ball must be touched against these walls atthe end of the in-goal area, or even moved to the end lines 104 and 106.Change of possession occurs generally in accordance with the rules ofRugby Seven.

With reference now to FIG. 5, another playing field arrangement isillustrated similar to that illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, but withoutthe walls 122 and 124. The playing field 502 is arranged, otherwise, ina similar fashion. That is, there are end lines 504 and 506 which definethe meeting edge of the in-goal area 508 and 510, respectively. Thereare also goals 512 and 520 either extending upwardly from the end line504 and 506, or positioned anywhere within the in-goal area as deemednecessary. The field 102 also includes line markings 526, such as thoseneeded to determine the progress of the advance of the ball, kick-offlines, penalty lines, mid-field lines, etc. The distance between the endlines 504 and 506 is sixty yards, and typically each in-goal area 508and 510 are ten yards in depth. The field 102 is forty yards in width,and defined by generally parallel sidelines 522 and 524. Thus, theplaying field 102 has a total dimension of forty yards wide by eightyyards in length, or approximately three thousand, two hundred squareyards. This is much smaller than a traditional rugby field which is atleast fifty yards in width and a hundred and twenty yards in length, orat least six thousand square yards in size.

To accommodate for the much smaller field, kick-offs are made closer tothe end line 504 or 506, instead of at mid-field as in traditional RugbySevens. It is also contemplated that the style of play will besignificantly different due to the much smaller field. For example, intraditional Rugby Sevens, it is desirable to kick the ball forward toadvance the ball, even if the kicking team loses possession of the ball.However, in the field sport game of the present invention, given themuch smaller field size, it is anticipated that such kicks to advancethe ball will not be as common and strategically beneficial. It is alsoanticipated that there will be a large increase in scoring in the gameof the present invention as the field is much shorter in length thanwidth as compared to a traditional rugby field, decreasing the distancewhich must be traversed in order to score. Drop-kicking a field goalwill also be easier and more commonplace.

With reference now to FIGS. 2 and 4, another embodiment of thefield-sport game of the present invention will now be described. Theplaying field 200 is typically of the same dimensions as that describedabove, namely, 40 yards by 80 yards of total field. However, instead ofplaying lengthwise, in this version of the game of the presentinvention, the teams move the 40-yard distance between the walls 222 and224. The inner surface of the walls themselves 222 and 224 define thefirst and second in-goal areas, a try being scored by touching the ballagainst wall 222 or 224. The goals 212 and 220 are moved from the endlines 204 and 206 to immediately adjacent to walls 222 and 224 at thecenter of the field 200. As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4, the goals 212and 220 can be of either a Y-shape, more similar to American football,or of an H-shape, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3. The important aspectis that a cross bar extends between two generally parallel andvertically extending posts or bars, as described above. Similarly, thegoals 112 and 120 illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3 can be of the Y-shapeconfiguration.

The end lines 204 and 206 are still spaced apart by approximately 60yards. However, in this case, they define out of bounds, with out ofbounds areas 208 and 210 being provided. Thus, the out of bounds rulesof Rugby Sevens come into play when stepping over the out of bounds 204and 206. If the ball goes out of bounds, it is restarted with aline-out. Both teams form a line perpendicular to the touch lineapproximately three feet apart from one another. A player of the teamnot responsible for the ball going out of bounds calls a play and throwsthe ball in the air in a straight line between the two lines. Players ofeach team may be supported in the air by their teammates as they jump togain possession of the ball.

It is contemplated by the present invention that the walls 222 and 224be shortened such that there are no out of bounds, and a player may runinto a wall or be tackled into a wall and treated as if it occurred onthe field, as described above.

The line markers 226 extend generally parallel to the first and secondwalls 222 and 224, so as to define a mid-field marker, and other markersthat are necessary for placement of the ball in given situations.

The game is played generally in accordance with the rules of RugbySevens, with a few variations to accommodate for the field 200configuration and size. For example, when initially kicking off to startthe game or after a score, the kicking team is penalized if it kicks theball over the wall 222 or 224. Typically, the opposing team will begranted possession of the ball at the mid-field marker 226. Play thenresumes, and generally in accordance with the rules of Rugby Sevens, asdescribed above. Scores are given for field goals (three points), trys(or touchdowns), wherein the player touches the pertinent wall 222 or224 (five or six points), and extra points or conversions (two or onepoint(s)). Once again, the end lines 204 and 206 typically serve as outof bound sidelines, with the traditional Rugby Sevens rules applying. Aversion of the game would eliminate these out of bound lines 204 and206, and instead move the walls 222 and 224 inwardly such that it isplayed without any out of bounds rules, similar to that described above.

When making a field goal or a conversion, nets can be placed behind thegoal posts 112, 120, 212 or 220, so as to capture the ball. However, inorder to make the game more appealing, more typically there are no netsbehind the goal post such that an audience member can obtain possessionof a kicked ball as a memento and keepsake.

With reference now to FIG. 6, a playing field 600 is illustrated whichis similar to that of FIGS. 2 and 4, but without the surrounding walls222 and 224. Instead, lines 622 and 624 define end lines or the leadingedge of the in-goal areas 608 and 610 immediately behind them. Thedistance between end lines 622 and 624 is forty yards, similar to thatdescribed above. The goals 612 and 620 can be positioned at the endlines 622 and 624, or anywhere within the in-goal areas 608 and 610, asdescribed above. Lines 604 and 606 define sidelines, or out of boundlines.

This version of the game is played generally in accordance with thatdescribed above with respect to FIGS. 2 and 4. However, instead oftouching the ball against the wall 222 or 224 in order to score a try,the ball is touched in the in-goal area 608 or 610. If the ball iskicked out of the opposing in-goal area 608 or 610, a penalty isincurred and the ball is placed at a predetermined line marker, such asthe mid-field marker, as described above.

It is believed that the field-sport game of the present invention, withits unique field configuration and modification of the Rugby Sevenslaws, will be much more comprehensible to the American audience and muchmore exciting to watch. Playing the field-sport game of the presentinvention in existing indoor arenas provides venues with stadium seatingor stands, vendors, music, scoreboards and monitors, etc. to enhance theoverall experience. Moreover, televising the games in such anenvironment will be much easier.

Although several embodiments have been described in some detail forpurposes of illustration, various modifications may be made withoutdeparting from the scope and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, theinvention is not to be limited, except as by the appended claims.

1. A method of playing a game, comprising the steps of: providing afield having a first wall defining a first in-goal area and an opposingand generally parallel second wall defining a second in-goal area, afirst goal adjacent to the first wall, and a second goal adjacent to thesecond wall, the goals each including parallel vertical bars having across bar extending therebetween, and a first line defining an out ofbounds extending between generally opposite ends of the first and secondwalls and a second line defining an out of bounds extending generallybetween opposite ends of the first and second walls; providing a ball;providing a first team and a second team of players; the first teamtaking possession of the ball and advancing the ball within the field ofplay towards the first in-goal area to score by running with the balland lateraling or passing the ball backwards to teammates so as to touchthe ball onto the first wall defining the first in-goal area and/ordrop-kicking the ball through the first goal; and the second teampreventing the first team from scoring by tackling a player of the firstteam in possession of the ball and/or attempting to obtain possession ofthe ball from the first team so as to advance the ball towards thesecond wall defining the second in-goal area and/or drop-kicking theball through the second goal.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein theproviding a field step includes the step of providing a playing fieldthat is at least 60 yards from the first line to the second line, andgenerally 40 yards from the first wall to the second wall.
 3. The methodof claim 1, wherein the providing first and second teams of players stepcomprises the step of providing seven players for each of the first andsecond teams.
 4. The method of claim 1, including the step of kickingthe ball off to start play, and penalizing the kicking team if the ballis kicked over the opposing first or second wall.
 5. The method of claim4, wherein the penalizing step includes the step of granting thenon-kicking team possession of the ball at a mid-field marker of theplaying field.
 6. A method of playing a game, comprising the steps of:providing a playing field approximately 40 yards in length and at least60 yards in width; providing a first vertical wall extending along thelength of the playing field and defining a first in-goal area; providingan opposing and generally parallel second vertical wall extending alongthe length of the playing field 40 yards from the first vertical wall,the second vertical wall defining a second in-goal area; providing afirst goal having generally parallel vertical bars and a cross barextending therebetween disposed adjacent to the first wall; providing asecond goal having generally parallel vertical bars and a cross barextending therebetween disposed adjacent to the second wall; providing afirst line defining an out of bounds extending between generallyopposite ends of the first and second walls and a second line definingan out of bounds extending generally between opposite ends of the firstand second walls; providing a ball; providing a first team of sevenplayers; providing a second team of seven players; the first team takingpossession of the ball and advancing the ball within the field of playtowards the first in-goal area to score by running with the ball andlateraling or passing the ball backwards to teammates so as to touch theball onto the first wall defining the first in-goal area and/ordrop-kicking the ball through the first goal; and the second teampreventing the first team from scoring by tackling a player of the firstteam in possession of the ball and/or attempting to obtain possession ofthe ball from the first team so as to advance the ball towards thesecond wall defining the second in-goal area and/or drop-kicking theball through the second goal.
 7. The method of claim 6, including thestep of kicking the ball off to start play, and penalizing the kickingteam if the ball is kicked over the opposing first or second wall. 8.The method of claim 7, wherein the penalizing step includes the step ofgranting the non-kicking team possession of the ball at a mid-fieldmarker of the playing field.
 9. A method of playing a game, comprisingthe steps of: providing a playing field having a length and width;providing a first vertical wall extending along the length of theplaying field and defining a first in-goal area; providing an opposingand generally parallel second vertical wall extending along end of theplaying field, the second vertical wall defining a second in-goal area;providing a first goal having generally parallel vertical bars and across bar extending therebetween disposed adjacent to the first wall;providing a second goal having generally parallel vertical bars and across bar extending therebetween disposed adjacent to the second wall;providing a first line defining an out of bounds extending betweengenerally opposite ends of the first and second walls and a second linedefining an out of bounds extending generally between opposite ends ofthe first and second walls; providing a ball; providing a first team ofplayers; providing a second team of players; kicking the ball off tostart play, and penalizing the kicking team if the ball is kicked overthe opposing first or second wall by granting the non-kicking team theball at a predetermined point on the field; the first team takingpossession of the ball and advancing the ball within the field of playtowards the first in-goal area to score by running with the ball andlateraling or passing the ball backwards to teammates so as to touch theball onto the first wall defining the first in-goal area and/ordrop-kicking the ball through the first goal; and the second teampreventing the first team from scoring by tackling a player of the firstteam in possession of the ball and/or attempting to obtain possession ofthe ball from the first team so as to advance the ball towards thesecond wall defining the second in-goal area and/or drop-kicking theball through the second goal.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein thefield of play is approximately 40 yards in length and approximately 80yards in width.
 11. The method of claim 9, wherein each of the first andsecond teams has seven players.
 12. The method of claim 9, wherein thepenalizing step includes the step of granting the non-kicking teampossession of the ball at a mid-field marker of the playing field.